Method for simultaneously displaying a plurality of items

ABSTRACT

A method of simultaneously displaying a plurality of separate, flexible, generally flat display items on a generally vertical surface comprises hanging a first elongated frame member having a flat planar back panel with a front flange extending therealong and an elongated channel extending between the flat planar panel and the front flange for receiving a first edge of the display items by securing the flat planar back panel on the vertical surface, inserting the first edge of at least one of the display items in the first elongated frame member channel, inserting the second edge of the display item in a second elongated frame member having a flat planar back panel with a front flange and a channel extending between the flat planar back panel and the front flange for receiving a second edge of the display item and aligning the second elongated frame member substantially parallel to said first elongated frame member, and hanging the second elongated frame member by securing the flat planar back panel on the vertical surface substantially parallel with the first elongated frame member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/403,518, filed Apr. 12, 2006, entitled WALL-MOUNTED DISPLAY ASSEMBLY FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY DISPLAYING A PLURALITY OF ITEMS, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/013,892, filed Dec. 15, 2004, which issued Jun. 6, 2006 as U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,275, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the aforesaid parent application and patent, there is described a display assembly for displaying personal memorabilia, for example photos, drawings, tickets, and other such items. The aforesaid display assembly allows the display items to be front loaded and removably inserted for simultaneously displaying the plurality of separate and generally flat items in a neat, orderly, efficient, convenient and attractive manner. The aforesaid application and patent are incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties, respectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this application there are described methods for mounting a display assembly on a generally vertical surface. The display assembly comprises a pair of opposing frame members in which are secured the items to be displayed. The pair of frame members are independently or separately mounted and spaced apart and thereafter the items to be displayed are easily inserted into the frame members for display. More specific details of the method and the individual steps for mounting or hanging the respective frame members will be described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the mounted display assembly with a plurality of separate, flexible and generally flat items displayed therein on a generally vertical surface or wall;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a portion of the display assembly components properly spaced and aligned on the wall surface;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the display assembly components illustrating another embodiment for convenient mounting on a vertical surface;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of another display assembly embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a display assembly mounted adjacent to a door frame; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a display housing with end caps secured on the frame members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To display the plurality of separate, flexible, generally flat items on a generally vertical surface according to the method described herein, the user will obtain a display assembly described in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,275 and the aforesaid application Ser. No. 11/403,518. The elongated display assembly comprises upper and lower frame members, each having a substantially flat planar back panel with a front flange extending along the length of the panel and forming an elongated channel extending between the flat panel and the front flange. In one embodiment of the display assembly, the back panel is notched or scored along its length and is separated into the upper and lower frame members by severing or otherwise disjoining or parting the back panel along the notch or score. Such an embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 4 prior to severing or disjoining the back panel. In another embodiment, the display assembly obtained is provided with the upper and lower frame members already separated; such an embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 1 shows a display assembly having display items 20, 22, 24 installed in the display assembly along vertical walls 11. The method of hanging the display assembly is carried out by first hanging a first elongated frame member on the generally vertical surface or wall. Where the display assembly is to extend substantially horizontally along the vertical surface or wall, it may be preferable to hang the lower of the two frame members first whereby the elongated channel extending along the bottom or lower edge of the display assembly provides support for the bottom edge of a flat display item while the second upper elongated frame member is secured and hung on the vertical wall. With a display item resting and supported in the first, lower elongated frame member, the user may readily determine the desired spacing between the upper and lower elongated frame members by placing the elongated channel of the upper frame member along the upper edge of the display item having its lower edge supported in the lower frame member. Thus, the height or vertical dimension of the supported display item itself dictates and determines the desired frame member spacing without having to measure a distance between the upper and lower edges of the item to be displayed or measuring a space separating the frame members prior to hanging the upper frame member. Such a step for properly spacing and hanging the first and second frame members horizontally is especially convenient and easily accomplished where the back surface of the flat planar back panels is provided with means for securing the back panel to the vertical surface. For example, a double-backed tape or similar tacky material or hook and loop fabric, or the like, may be supplied and if not already located on the back surface of the back panels it may be applied by the user. The back panels are then simply pressed against the vertical surface to hang the upper and lower frame members.

Typically it is desirable to hang the upper and lower substantially horizontal frame members on the vertical surface substantially parallel with one another. Such a parallel arrangement will be pleasing to an observer, and supports and retains the items to be displayed even though the upper and lower edges of items are not precisely parallel, so long as even a portion of an upper and lower edge of the display items are secured in the respective upper and lower frame member channels. However, other alignments may be used, such as hanging the first and second frame members vertically or even angled along the vertical surface or wall, again, preferably with the frame members substantially parallel. Moreover, depending on the item to be displayed, if different shapes of display items or different sizes are used, one may hang the first and second frame members in different alternative configurations, rather than parallel. In any case, it will be preferred to first hang a first frame member, and thereafter hang a second frame member in the desired position relative to the first frame member, with the frame members separated and spaced according to the dimensions of the item or items to be displayed.

Observing also FIGS. 2 and 3, upper and lower frame members 13 and 17, respectively, have been secured or hung to a substantially vertical surface or wall 11 and separated by space 18. Lower frame member 17 includes a substantially planar back panel 15 with a front flange 14 at the lower end or edge and forming a channel 28 between the flange and the back panel. Similarly, upper frame member 13 comprises a flat backed panel 15 with a front flange 26 extending along the upper end or edge of the frame member and forming a channel 26 between the flange and the back panel. The back panels of the respective upper and lower frame members may be provided with holes 25 if screws, nails or the like are to be used. Other means such as a double-backed tape 40 and 41 as shown in FIG. 3 may be used for securing the frame members against the vertical surface. However, other materials, for example, glue or releasable, removable putty, paste or wax such as silicone or microcrystalline museum wax, hook and loop fabric, or equivalent means known to those skilled in the art may be used.

In FIG. 4, the display assembly embodiment illustrated incorporates a notch or score 16 along back panel 15 in its initial condition, so that prior to installation, it is desirable to sever or otherwise disjoin the upper and lower frame members along the notch or score. This may be accomplished by cutting or fracturing the common back panel to separate the upper and lower frame members.

In the previously described steps for hanging the upper and lower frame members, the distance or separation between the frame members is not specifically measured, but determined by using a display item itself to determine the distance of separation. Alternatively, the height or width of a display item may be measured prior to or after the first elongated housing member is secured or hung on the vertical surface, and thereafter the second elongated frame member hung substantially parallel to the first frame member and separated by the measured distance, prior to ever inserting a display item. In the aforesaid steps of hanging the upper and lower frame members, although the preferred steps of hanging the lower frame member first and thereafter the upper frame member may be preferred, it is not a necessary requirement. Instead, the upper frame member may be first secured, the upper edge or edge portion of a display item inserted into the channel of the upper frame member, and thereafter the lower elongated frame member is hung while supporting or holding the display item in the upper frame member. The lower frame member may be properly spaced from the upper member by inserting the lower edge of the display item into the elongated channel of the lower frame member, and then securing the lower frame member on the wall or vertical surface.

Observing FIG. 5, the display assembly is mounted and hung around a door or door frame and/or around a window or window frame. Such an assembly may include one or more horizontal components and one or more vertical components aligned and cooperating to frame a door, window or similar structure or feature. Thus, as is illustrated in FIG. 5, the assembly is mounted on a wall around a door, with the display assembly having a horizontal component 50 and vertical components 51 and 52, with upper and lower front flanges 12 and 14 as previously described, and vertical front flanges 42 and 44. Items to be displayed in the vertical frame member are inserted as previously described, edge to edge or spaced apart as desired. In such vertical alignment, where edge friction of an item within the channel is insufficient to maintain desired position, the use of tape or removable wax or putty behind any item to be displayed or along an edge may be used.

In FIG. 6, a display assembly embodiment incorporates an end cap 30 along an edge or end of the upper and lower frame members. The use of end caps and instillation is fully described in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,275. The use of end caps is optional.

Installation of the display items may be accomplished by simply slightly bending the items so that their respective upper and lower or first and second edges are directed into and secured in the channels along the frame members. The items may be removed and/or rearranged conveniently from the front as desired. It may also be preferred to install a transparent cover or film for protecting and further retaining the items to be displayed. In FIG. 3, a transparent cover 21 is shown installed in the display assembly with upper and lower edges of the transparent cover received in the upper and lower channels 26 and 28, respectively. A preferred film may include ultraviolet protection to prevent fading of the displayed items as well as to avoid bowing, shriveling, bending or other deformation once the display items have been inserted in the frame members. The transparent cover is preferably flexible plastic which returns and retains its substantially flat shape after installation. Use of such a protective cover is especially preferred where humidity or temperature changes may cause unprotected display items to become aged or deformed. Protection is especially desirable where the items to be displayed are thin sheets of paper such as drawings, magazine pages, and the like susceptible to wrinkling unless protected and supported in a generally flat condition. 

1. A method of simultaneously displaying a plurality of separate, flexible, generally flat items on a generally vertical surface comprising: hanging a first elongated frame member comprising a flat planar back panel having a front flange extending therealong and having an elongated channel extending between said flat planar panel and said front flange for receiving a first edge of the items to be displayed by securing the flat planar back panel on the vertical surface; inserting the first edge of at least one of said plurality of items to be displayed in said first elongated frame member channel; inserting the second edge of said at least one of said items in a second elongated frame member comprising a flat planar back panel having a front flange extending therealong and having a channel extending between said flat planar back panel and said front flange for receiving a second edge of said one or more items and aligning said second elongated frame member substantially parallel to said first elongated frame member; and hanging said second elongated frame member by securing the flat planar back panel thereof on the vertical surface substantially parallel with said first elongated frame member.
 2. A method of claim 1 further comprising hanging said first elongated frame member and said second elongated frame member along substantially horizontal axes.
 3. A method of claim 1 further comprising hanging said first elongated frame member and said second elongated frame member along substantially vertical axes.
 4. A method of claim 2 further comprising inserting first and second edges of other of said plurality of items into channels of the secured first and second elongated frame members, respectively.
 5. A method of claim 3 further comprising inserting first and second edges of other of said plurality of items into channels of the secured first and second elongated frame members, respectively.
 6. A method of claim 1 wherein the first and second elongated frame members are initially joined along a common flat planar back panel having an elongated notch extending along the length thereof, and wherein the cross-sectional thickness along said notch is less than the cross-sectional thickness of said common flat planar back panel, said method further comprising severing said common flat planar back panel along said notch and separating said first elongated frame member from said second elongated frame member prior to said hanging.
 7. A method of simultaneously displaying a plurality of separate, flexible, generally flat items on a generally vertical surface comprising: determining distance between a first edge and a second edge of an item to be displayed; hanging a first elongated frame member comprising a flat planar back panel having a front flange extending therealong and having an elongated channel extending between said flat planar panel and said front flange for receiving a first edge of the items to be displayed by securing the flat planar back panel on the vertical surface; hanging a second elongated frame member comprising a flat planar back panel having a front flange extending therealong and having a channel extending between said flat planar back panel and said front flange for receiving a second edge of said one or more items by securing the flat planar back panel thereof on the vertical surface substantially parallel with said first elongated frame member and spaced apart therefrom with the distance between the respective channels thereof being approximately the determined height or width of a flat item to be displayed; and inserting the first edge and the second edge of the item to be displayed in the channels of said first and said second frame members, respectively.
 8. A method of claim 7 further comprising hanging said first elongated frame member and said second elongated frame member along substantially horizontal axes.
 9. A method of claim 7 further comprising hanging said first elongated frame member and said second elongated frame member along substantially vertical axes.
 10. A method of claim 7 wherein the first and second elongated frame members are initially joined along a common flat planar back panel having an elongated notch extending along the length thereof, and wherein the cross-sectional thickness along said notch is less than the cross-sectional thickness of said common flat planar back panel, said method further comprising severing said common flat planar back panel along said notch and separating said first elongated frame member from said second elongated frame member prior to said hanging.
 11. A method of claim 7 wherein said step of determining distance is carried out prior to hanging said first frame member.
 12. A method of claim 7 wherein said step of determining distance is carried out after hanging said first frame member. 